Johanna Elisabeth Swaving facts for kids
Johanna Elisabeth Swaving (born 17 December 1754 in Weesp – died 26 June 1826 in Haarlem) was an important Dutch businesswoman. She was famous for being the publisher of a newspaper called the Oprechte Haerlemsche Courant.
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Early Life and Family
Johanna Elisabeth Swaving was born in Weesp, a town in the Netherlands. Her father, Christiaan Swaving, was the mayor of Weesp. On 25 August 1783, she married Johannes Enschedé Jr. in Weesp. Her husband was a partner in a well-known company called Joh. Enschedé. This company was involved in publishing books and newspapers, and also in printing. Johanna and Johannes had seven children who grew up: four daughters and three sons.
Taking Over the Family Business
In 1799, Johanna's husband passed away. After his death, Johanna took charge of the family business, Joh. Enschedé. She especially focused on the local newspaper, the Oprechte Haerlemsche Courant, which her husband had fully owned. By leading the company, Johanna gained a lot of influence. She managed the business for her sons, making sure it continued to be successful.
Helping the Community
Johanna was also very active in her community. She supported several important groups, including:
- The Dutch Society of Arts and Sciences.
- The Haarlem Drawing Academy.
- A local acting club called Leerzaam Vermaak (which means "Educational Entertainment"). She even acted in a play with her husband and son in 1791!
In 1820, Johanna was one of six leading women in Haarlem who started a special fund. This fund was created to help pregnant women who needed medical care during childbirth. It was called the Caring Committee for pregnant women, and it still exists today!
Innovations in Printing
As the head of Joh. Enschedé, Johanna found clever ways to show off the company's unique printing skills. She used the special fonts (typefaces) owned by Enschedé in advertisements placed in her newspaper.
One of her best ideas was to use an expensive font called "Parel muziek" (Pearl music). This font was created by Joan Michael Fleischman. Johanna used it to make beautiful decorative edges for things like visiting cards, newspaper ads, and invitations. A program she designed for her local theatre group had these decorative edges. This design later became the model for the very first Dutch banknote, which Enschedé printed in 1814.
Johanna likely won the contract to print the first banknote because of her connections in Haarlem. She knew Johanna Borski, who was a main supporter of De Nederlandsche Bank (the Dutch central bank). She also knew Jan Hodshon, whose niece Catharina Cornelia Hodshon was one of the first directors of the bank. Thanks to Johanna's leadership, Enschedé remained the only printer of Dutch banknotes until the euro currency was introduced.
Legacy
Johanna Elisabeth Swaving is remembered for how she managed the Enschedé company. She oversaw the newspaper, the publishing house, and the printing of banknotes. She died in Haarlem in 1826.]
